Mask Volume 1
by chugga.germ
Summary: A girls world is turned upside down when a cursed mask is found by her brother. (Way post MM, modern time.)


**_AUTHOR'S NOTE_**

**This is my first story. Most of my stories will probably be like this. I ask that you review honestly as I enjoy the feedback. **

**MASK**

"Hey Joan!" Called Autumn Skye, an old friend of mine from my last middle school that was across the city.

"Long time no see! How have you been?" Her enthusiasm, as always, was sickeningly sweet.

"Hey Skye, its been awhile," I gave her a hug.

"Its been... sigh It sucks." I was being as honest as I could. It did suck.

See, it was bad because one, my dad left my mom high and dry, two, the outcome of that was selling the house I grew up in and having to get one that is probably from the 1800's, and three, I was now in high school, nervous as ever.

" Oh.. Sorry to hear that," She consoled. "May I ask why?"

Her usual politeness was soothing.

" ... Ehhh, I don't wanna talk about it. So how have you been?" I asked.

" Good, good."

" That's good."

" Yeah... Well I gotta get to class. See ya."

" Bye." I waved as she took off.

Later that day I was walking to my run-down home with at least one friend I stayed in touch with when I moved, Thomas Little.

" You sure are quiet today," Said Thomas.

"... Tell me the meaning of life, Thomas," I said after awhile without responding.

"... Oooh, thats a tough one..." He chuckled.

"I would say the closest thing to the meaning of life is to live, love, learn, give, and die."

"That makes sense," I said sarcasticly.

"You asked."

A little time passed until we finally came to my house. Home, sweet, home...

"See ya tommorow, Joan." He said as I waved goodbye.

The house was an old winger you'd see in one of those trailer parks. See, we used to live in a really good, three story house in a good neighborhood. But that's all over with now.

I went inside and started on some algebra. A few minutes later my boyfriend, Caleb, Came over. I could tell that my 13 year old brother Johnnie was there already. Johnnie has always been insecure in some way or another, if not socially, then emotionally, or physically. This made all the kids at his school pick on him. Sometimes I really felt sorry for him.

After about twenty minutes of homework with Caleb, Johnnie comes up from the dusty old basement with something in his arms.

" Hey Joan!" he said, "Look at this cool mask I found in the basement!"

"Mask...?" I was confused for a moment. 'Mask in the basement'? Sounds like a chessy 80's horror movie title.

He held up a purple Mask that was shaped like a heart and had horns on the sides. And the eyes were, if anything, sadistic. It was quite disturbing, really. If I would've known what that mask was, I would've told him to destroy it right then and there.

"That's... Uhh... What do you mean you found it in the basement? It was empty except for some old trash," I said in disbelief.

"There's a tunnel thing underneath the big box," he said.

"This was in a chest along with this note. Can't read it, though."

"Let me see that," I said as I snatched it from him. It had some sort of ancient asian writing on it.

"... Mmm, I dunno. Weird," I said, handing it back to him.

"... Good help you were."

"What? You expect me to be able to read it?" I snapped.

"No... Oh well. Maybe I'll wear it for Halloween," He joked

"Hehe, yeah. Hey, you should get to bed, It's past eleven."

"Okay... Night,"

"Night," I said as he walked upstairs carrying the mask with him.

Caleb gave me an odd look.

"Tunnel..?" He said.

"I dunno... Wanna go see?" I said while I get up off the bed.

"Sure."

I picked up the flashlight Johnnie left on the table and went down to the basement with Caleb. Indeed, there was a tunnel dug out clean through the concrete. We gave each other a glance as we went down through the strange tunnel. It was a very clean tunnel- the dirt was dug out well and neatly, and the cave was really quite deep; I'd say about 10-15 feet or so. When we got to the bottom there was an old chest there.

"He found it in this?" Caleb said.

"I guess... " I murmurred

"Hmm... Thats odd. How old would you say this is?" He said while studying it closely.

"Uhhh... Definately 100 or so years. Or older,"

We both flinched and threw our heads to our backs when we heard what sounded like a big thump.

We took up the chest and left the tunnel to see what it was. It was Mom.

"... Ouch!..." I heard her say from the stairs.

"Oh, hey Mom. You ok?" I said as I turned the corner into the kitchen from the basement stairs.

"Uhh, yeah. Just stubbed my toe, dammit... Oh, how are you, Joan?"

"Good, hey mom, did you know there was a tunnel in the basement?" I said as Caleb brought up the chest.

"Tunnel..? No, I haven't even seen the basement."

"Well, Johnnie has. There's a good 15 foot deep tunnel down there that he found an old locked chest in," I said.

"What was in it?" She said as she brought her attention to the chest as Caleb sets it on the table.

"Some weird purple mask that had horns on it. It also had an old note that has some sort of asian symoblos or something on it." I say as she coughs from the dusty chest.

"Huh... That's uhh... That is, uh, very odd... Should I call the housing department to see if they knew about it?"

"That's a good idea," I said.

Soon me and Caleb went upstairs to bed. As I slept, however, I had an terrible nightmare that was a prophecy of the things to come.

I heard this insane laughing, getting louder and louder as the mask comes into view. Fire soon surrounds the mask as I hear the very faint words of a high, male, almost angelic voice...

"You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"

Then he came to view, surrounded by clouds, a strange looking man with an odd perpetual smile...

"Hello... " He spoke, "Dark times are coming to the world... The Great Beast has sinister plans for your people. You must be vigilant. In three weeks, it plans to wreak havoc on the order that this time boasts in the capital of your country. The Beast will decieve the Little One in order to get there. Remember, you must stop the chaotic beast from throwing all into flame.

Have faith... "

Then the dream ended. I remember it all now, but it was one of those dreams that the minute you get up, you forget most of it. The only part I remembered was the mask in the flames, along with the laugh and what the man said. When I woke up I didn't think that much of it other than I was still immature enough to have things give me nightmares.

A couple days later at lunch Thomas, Caleb, Autumn and I were talking.

"I had the weirdest dream a couple of days ago..." Said Skye.

"There was this... Thing that was purple and shaped like a heart and had devil like eyes with fire surrounding it. Something was laughing insanely, too. It got louder and louder until I heard this guy say-"

"You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?.." Caleb said suddenenly, my eyes shot up in surprise.

"Wait a second..." Said Thomas.

"I had the same dream three days ago!" He belted.

"Wait, really..?" Autumn said in confusion.

"So did I..." Caleb finally said.

"How did we all have the same dream?" I asked.

"Wait, you did too?" Said Thomas.

"Yeah... Only me and Caleb saw the face you guys saw... Before" I said, realizing some of what the Man in my dream said.

"Right, that mask your brother found?" Caleb said.

"Wait a second, that thing was a mask..?" burst' Autumn.

"Apparently... " Thomas said.

"Johnnie has been different ever since he found that mask... He's a lot more quieter, he didn't even respond when I talked to him. I've been thinking that he was sick or something, or has even fallen for someone. But now... " I spoke, looking down at my tray with a ruined appetite.

"You think it has to do with that mask?" Caleb said. "That's ridiculous. "

It was like Caleb to be the realist.

"Yeah, but what if he's obsessed with it?" I asked.

"That could be..." Caleb said.

"I'm concerned about him... " I murmured in worry.

"That doesn't explain how we all had the same dream... " Said a weirded out Autumn.

"I don't know... " Said Thomas.

We had no explanation how we had a reciprical dream, but I knew one thing, Johnnie wasn't safe.

The next few weeks Johnnie got worse. Soon he wouldn't even talk to mom. He always seemed tired despite sleeping for twelve hours straight. After another week and a half it was at a breaking point.

Me, Caleb, Autumn, and Thomas came home went home that day on October 12th at four twenty.

When we got there we went up to the Johnnie's room.

"Johnnie..?" I called as I tapped on his door with Caleb by my side. Thomas and Autumn were still downstairs.

"Johnnie? Are you here?" I lightly pushed his door open. What we saw surprised us. My heart dropped down when I saw that the room was a mess, with the window shattered to his body size.

"He's gone!" I yelled.

"The mask's gone, Joan.. " Caleb said. When I

At the time Caleb says this Thomas and Skye rush upstairs to see why I yelled.

"What's going on?!" Thomas asks.

"Joan, the mask's gone!" Blurted out Caleb.

I was officially panicking. While I stared out the window I noticed the mailbox had dissappeared and a large char mark was in its place. I ran downstairs to see any clues but suddenly my focus was on the television Skye had turned on when we got in. It was the news. It had breaking news icon in the corner and the Live scene was horrific, a sky-8 view of wreckage.

"... the child is rampaging through downtown Portland and appears to have burst through athorities, and it appears that he has a purple, heart shaped mask on with spikes. SWAT vehicles are in hot pursuit... "

It was him. Definately him. And my suspicions were confirmed... What the Man said was true.

"My god... " Thomas said.

I paused for a moment and pondered the situation.

"I... I need to go! I need to get to him!" I yelled out as I ran for the door.

"Wait!" Caleb stopped me in my tracks.

"You can't! You'll be killed!" he snapped.

"I have to! The dream was true, I need to go!"

Autumn was panicking as well.

"I'm going!" I screamed. Larger forces were at work here, a bear couldn't stop me.

"If you are then I will to. I won't let you go alone, Joan." His slight smile was reassuring.

"Ok, then. I guess now I should tell you guys," Thomas said, " A man came to me in the dream... He said what that... thing wants to do."

"What is it?..." Autumn asked with worry.

"In case Caleb or you haven't put it together yet, the thing from the dream wants to get to some sort of collection of leaders in Washington. There he's going to eliminate them, leaving the world leaderless." He looked to me. "Joan, if you remember correctly, the man said 'The Beast will decieve the little one to get there'? The 'Little One' is Johnnie. When Johnnie put the mask on, he was partially possessed by the thing."

"I have a hard time believing that... " Caleb stated quietly.

"It sucks, but its true, Caleb. If you don't beleive it, look at the TV. So guys, I'm coming to. You need me," Thomas belted.

"... well," Autumn finally said, " I feel I should come to... If I had the dream as well, then its gotta be true that I'm needed as well."

So at that point all four of us were going. I was releived that I wasn't the only one who had to do this... I had the felling we were the only ones who could stop him.

Let's just hope we can get there in time.

We set out. Last we heard, Johnnie was exiting Portland, and us being in Troutdale, we have a ten mile disadvantage. So, it would make sense if things were looking a bit bleak for us.

"Wait, how are we going to get there? We're kids, not jets." Caleb said.

"Well," Said Thomas, "I happen to know exactly how to get there and, if my calculations are correct, some two hours ahead of him."

"How?" I asked, open to ideas.

"Now, " he explained, "We get to the cargo train in Fairview and hitch a ride out to New York. See, its the transport from New York to DC that's complicated. By that time, the country will declare a state of emergency. But we'll manage. So about three days getting to New York, four days from New York to DC. Tops."

"Ooookay... " I said. We walked to a bus stop and unpatiently waited

We rode the bus over to Fairview. When we got there, we hurried to the train station. After about twenty minutes, it arrived. We looked around when we got on. There were a few people there already. Train mates. Greeeaaaaat.

Day one. We brought quite a bit of food to do us in for what was the longest week of our lives, so we were good in that department. In the most part, we sat next to each other closer than to anyone else.

"Hey there, " Stated a big, hearty man sitting next to another on the train, "you guys don't exactly seem like the kind of kids to be here."

"Well, " Thomas responded with a chuckle, "To tell the truth, we aren't. Hi, I'm Thomas. These are my friends Autumn, Joan, and Caleb."

"The names Wheaton, nice to meetcha!"

Wheaton the big man on the train was the closest thing to

Santa as you could get. Santa in his twenties, that is. Even though he looked like Santa, I still couldn't just trust a hobo on a cargo train.

"May I ask why you're here?" Autumn asks somewhat rudely.

"I'm going out to see my neice, Rachel, in North Carolina, " He explained. "A small town out there called Worthingham. Where are you kids going?"

"Uhhh... You wouldn't beleive the reason if I told you. " I finally said.

"I think I have a good idea where," Said the skinnier man next to him, "Nowhwere. You kids running away? "

"No, we aren't. " Thomas explained.

"That's what they all say. Don't worry, I won't tell no one. Hi, I'm Reid," He extended his hand to shake Thomas'.

"Hi," They shook hands.

"I'm heading out to Chicago for business," Reid said.

" I see... " Thomas murmured. 'Business'?...

"Well, we know that the train will get to chicago probably in two days," Thomas says as Reid flashes a look of confusion.

"How... How do you know?" He asked.

"I, uhh, just have a feeling," Thomas grinned. Reid was still giving the look of confusion, though.

Day two. Food was still in great supply; looks like we'll be alright. Today the train stops in Aspen Colorado. two more people come on the Cargo train. A woman and who seems like her little sister or daughter. They sit down near the back together.

"Hello, " The older woman says, "Do you know how long until this train get's to Newark?"

"Well, " I say, " I do know that this train is arriving in New York in about two days. "

"Oh, ok. Thanks. "

After that, though, they don't make that much conversation throughout the day.

Later that day...

"What will we do when we get to him? " Caleb asked.

"We persuade him to take the mask off," I say, "Like the man said, he's being decieved by the mask. If we can get him to take it off, then we will defeat the mask. "

"How do you know it won't just kill us? " He asked, obviously thinking thinking the worst case scenario.

"... I don't want to die..." Autumn says grimly.

"Listen guys," Thomas shouts, "We aren't gonna die, okay? I know it. We'll have Military Defense. "

We all stop for awhile and just watch as the rocky mountains disappear from our view.

_I wonder if mom is concerned_, I thought, _Well, these are bigger matters to deal with_.

I sighed.

Soon, I drifted into another dream...

"_Joan... It is I once more. You are almost there, but the decieved one is closing in... Once in New York, find the guide... Thomas' Uncle... Remember, have hope. _"

Day three and four. Almost to New York. It took longer then we thought. Reid bid us farewell as we went off further east.

"What did you mean," The girl said to us the next day in curiousity, "about a mask..?"

"Uhhhmmm... " I had no idea what to tell her.

"Desi!" The woman quickly scolded, "Sorry. Nice to meet you. I'm Delaney, and this is my daughter, Desi."

"Its fine. I'm Joan," I smiled, "Nice to meet you, too. "

"What are you two doing on a cargo train?" Caleb questioned.

"Its... Its complicated, " The woman sighed.

I gave Caleb the 'thats rude and you know it' look.

"... I'm sorry, " Caleb says.

"Oh no, its fine, " The woman smiled slightly.

They looked disdained, though. Almost like they lost someone and it left them in shambles.

Day five, forty-eight hours remain. The train was delayed about seven hours in Chicago yesterday, but apparently we will still get there sometime before him.

Thomas took out his iPhone and dialed an eleven-digit number.

Ringing.

"Uhh, yeah, uncle Layne? "

After about twenty minutes talking he hangs up.

"Alright guys, status report." Thomas announces, " Turns out Johnnie's in chicago. In the morning we will be in New York. When we get there my uncle will meet us there and transport us to Washington. He's already warned the leaders, however they won't evacuate... They don't trust that they're in danger. "

"How did you convince your uncle? " Autumn asked.

"Don't question it. I don't even know how," Thomas chuckled.

We were on our way. Tommorow, things were going to get serious.

One last time the Man came to me an a dream until the final day.

"Have faith, you can stop this. Have a clear mind for justice. But be warned- if you let the beast take full control of the little one, it won't be stopped."

Day six, twenty-four hours remain to stop my brother from dragging the planet into chaos.

We all woke up early that day. As the train drew closer and closer to New York, we could see that the city was preparing for something. Military helicopters, Armed Jeeps rampaged through the interstate, Jets roared through the sky. Marines being transported across and through the streets.

The train stopped mid-city. Wheaton, Delaney, and Desi waved as the train roared off.

"Here we are," I said.

Not a moment late, a Jeep drove up to the tracks. Two marines jumped out of the Jeep, one looked like an older, buzz cut Thomas and the other had a long face and blond hair.

"Thomas!" The older man hugged Thomas, "You made it out here safely."

"Long time no see, Uncle Layne," he said as he hugged him, "These are my friends, Autumn, Joan, and Caleb. "

"I am Sergeant Layne Johnson of the US Marine Corps, this is Leutenant Corperal Klassen," The other man nodded politely. We then got in the military Jeep as Klassen began to drive us up the surprisingly empty seventh street.

"So where is he now?" Thomas asked.

"Currently, he's entering New York soil, heading southeast at about as little as 10 mph to 70. It's hard to calculate an aproximate amount of time it'll be until he reaches Washington, but we do have Tango AF 47, 48, and 49 units holding him back for as long as they can, " He explained.

"How is he evading fire?" Caleb questioned.

"That's just it," He said as he made a serious look at us, "He's not. "

"We can shoot missiles, RPG, Turret... It only slightly slows him down," Klassen says.

"The Mask is giving him the power to physically withstand missile fire? " Autumn asks.

"It seems like-" A frantic radio transmission cuts Layne off mid-sentence.

"...This is Tango AF47, 48 is down, I reapeat, 48 is down! I am in pursuit of the boy heading east toward the city, requesting air support! Tango AF49 is arriving at the city for air support. I repeat, the boy is heading for New York... "

"I copy," he replied.

Layne picked up the radio mic and tweaked the signal.

"This is Sergeant Johnson of MP 159 Bravo reporting an emergency situation. The boy is heading for New York, I repeat, the boy is heading for the city, over. "

"Copy," the voice from the radio says, "calling in MP 178 Gamma for ground support."

As Klassen drove us through empty Main Street on our way to the border to Maryland, we saw several jeeps with Machine Guns speed by us. Not soon after, we heard the explosion of what sounded like a building. Not to soon after we could hear faint heavy gunfire ringing through the streets. At the sound of this the Jeep sped up a bit as we turned down a side street to avoid attention.

Another transmission came in soon after.

"This is MP 178 Gamma, do you copy?"

"This is Sergeant Johnson, report."

"The boy has entered the city and is currently at 22nd and Wall Street! He taken down the Sears on 14th and Wall, I repeat, the building is down! We are currently taking the offensive and pursuing him up Wall."

"I copy. Will send my unit down for support. But I won't be there for the party, I'm escorting civilians out of the city."

"Copy that. Over and out."

"Why's he here?.." I questioned.

"Is... Is he after us?" Autumn asked.

"No... He couldn't be." said Caleb.

"Layne," Thomas said, "When we get to DC, you need to hold him off for as long as you can. We can stop him if you give us time!"

Layne picked up the radio and tweaked it again once more.

"This is Sergeant Johnson of MP 159 Bravo. I request backup from the Army, Air Force, Marines, NAVY, any military force you can muster up to Washinton. His plan is to eliminate the UN leaders for the essembly at the pentagon tommorow. I repeat, build a barrier of defense around DC three miles long! We can't let him through!"

"I copy, out. "

"Over and out."

At that point Johnnie was leaving New York south toward DC. We stopped near a Helipad near the city limits. Several Marines boarded along with us. We got strapped in as it took off. The soldiers gave us an odd look. A military nighthawk helicopter heading for ground zero wasn't exactly the place for four teenagers to be. To this day I'm still surprised we were aloud on.

Tensions were as high as ever. We still didn't know what we were going to do, but apparently Thomas had a plan. We flew south for about twenty minutes until we came to what felt like the most dangerous place on earth. At least twenty or more jets circled DC with rows of tanks lined up near the interstate highways into the city. Machine gun turrets lined up through the street along with rocket launcher rows.

We landed at a makeshift helipad near the square with hundreds of marines and armymen; the pentagon was in view, the place we were keeping Johnnie from getting to.

"The leaders are in the underground bunker underneath the pentagon," Announced a fellow marine sergeant to Layne and Klassen.

"How long till he gets here?" Asked Thomas.

"Who are these kids?" questioned the sergeant.

"Assistants," said Klassen, "And yes- When will the boy arrive, approximately?"

"We want to say about twenty minutes, give or take how long the drones can hold him back."

"Good. Uncle Layne, thanks so much for this. Guys, follow me." We turn to leave. "Get him to where he stops in his tracks, and when I give this signal," Thomas puts his arm up and and made the vulcan sign from Star Trek, "hold your fire. Got it?"

"Got it," He said, obviously with concern for his nephew. He gave us some Walkie-Talkies.

We salute them as they do the same back.

We take off on our own to a radio tower near in the square. Me and Thomas went upto the top while Autumn and Caleb stayed down with the Marines.

Thomas brought up his Walkie-Talkie to talk mode.

"Where is he now?" He asked.

"Coming up on DC," Layne replied, "We're sending fighters out to hold him down. We are preparing our lines of defense for the arrival!"

"Got it," Thomas said.

Not two minutes later, he was visible, about a mile and a half away. And also was the mask's power. A good ten fighters were tailing him above the buildings of downtown DC, and he whipped around the jet and flew toward it and slashed the left wing off, making the jet spiral out of control. As he turns his attention to the pentagon, his entire body began to eminate purple light. Then we hear an earth-shattering screech come from him as he races toward us.

Then Thomas says one last thing to Layne.

"... Let's light this puppy!" He shouts.

As he does, the hundreds of rocket launchers and tanks fire successive rounds at him from all different angles, all hitting him. This causes his body to be covered in smoke almost instantaneously. At this point, the machine guns take their turn. The rounds flying through the air I could barely hear another demonic screech from Johnnie as he breaks from their hold and flies threw the air.

But as he gets closest to us, me and Johnnie scream to the top of our lungs at him,

"JOHNNIE!"

My heart stopped as Johnnie stops in his tracks, floating in mid-air about twenty feet from us in the tower. At this point Thomas puts his hand up and does the signal.

"HOLD YOUR FIRE!" I heard Layne say from forty some odd feet away.

He stared at us as his body glows of violet and pale yellow, the Mask's eyes glowing of dark crimson. At that moment, I felt like I was staring into the eyes of the devil itself.

"J-Johnnie! Its me, your sister, the one who cares about you!" I shout at him.

"Heahahahahahaaa! Silly peasant... I have no sister!" He said in a twisted, demonic version of his voice.

"Please listen, Johnnie," Thomas says, "you have people who love you! the mask will kill you after its will is done if you don't take it off!"

"SHUT UP!" He screams at us.

"Johnnie, please listen! Please! I know you're in there, I know you're scared! But its alright... Just please take it off..." I beg.

He paused and stared, and then for a moment I heard my brother, in his voice, say

"... Joannie?"

I smiled warmly.

But then he began to shake violently, and I heard a genderless, loud deep voice say...

"This puppet is useless to me... "

Then the mask finally let go of Johnnie, causing him to fall to his death. It felt like my heart jumped out of my chest as I watched my brother fall to the ground. Then out of nowhere, Caleb jumped out in front of my him and caught not two seconds before he hit the ground. I was extremely relieved.

But soon all the relief was gone as I looked ahead to me as the mask lets out an unholy screech as it begins to morph into a gigantic disgusting huminoid figure and spouts what seem like humongous whipsout of its hands.

Not three seconds after its transformation does it direct its whips toward the tower, causing the whips to double it over, gripping it tight. "Holy- JUMP!"

Before we can, it rips the tower clean in half, similar to breaking a toothpick. The ground below us jerks to the side violently as Thomas and I are sent hurdling through the air. We narrowly survive the good twenty foot drop, only to look behind us to see the tower is falling upon us. With not a second to spare, we roll out of the way of the collapsing tower. Again, not a moment too late, Layne, Klassen, Autumn, Caleb, and thankfully an unconsious Johnnie arrived in the jeep.

Nearly the exact moment they do, a good dozen missiles ring through the air toward the Beast. When they impact, it lets out a blood curdling, almost female sounding scream. Did they hurt it? We zoomed off as fast as the Jeep could go away from the biggest firefight in american history.

It directed its whips down on us in blinding rage. My heart dropped as I realized...

"ITS AFTER US!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

Layne quickly picks up the radio.

"Mother of God, men, take the goddamn thing out! Its after us!" He shouted.

"We're doing our best!"

What he said next was drowned out by a missile roaring just above us toward the Beast as the direct hit slams right into its face, causing it to stall.

At that point, it stops, dead in its tracks, exausted.

"Wha- We're hurting it, we're hurting it!" Caleb exclaims.

'Yay!" Autumn says.

Another missile passes by us overhead, slamming into it. When it impacts, it screams in blinding pain again.

"One more!" Layne shouts into the radio one last time as another flies by us.

When it hits, it lets out one last scream as it collapses to the ground, immoble.

"Is...?" Thomas murmurs as everything is silent.

It begins to desolve into a pile of dust, quickly joining the smoke of the so many rockets that exploded over DC, no, all of America that day.

It was gone. Finally gone. We heard the many soldiers that packed the streets of DC cheering for us as Klassen drove us back to the Pentagon to be rewarded for our efforts.

We arrived back at the unbarricaded Pentagon as the many leaders come out of the bunker to greet us. Hundreds of press members, reporters, news people, all came to greet us just as the thing died.

But when we got there...

"Uhhh, Sergeant..?" I said quietly.

"Yes?" He responded.

"I just want to go home," I said, "this is too much. For all of us. We're just kids."

Everybody nodded.

"... I can make that happen," Said Layne as he smiled.

He then took us back to the Jeep to be driven to the airport.

The next day, a clean week after it all started...

When we got back, Johnnie was very quiet, and stared down in shame. When mom saw that we were back, she ran out to greet her children that she didn't know were for a week.

"Johnnie!" Mom gasped as she ran and gave him the biggest hug of the century. And he needed it.

"I... I missed you so much!... "

All Johnnie could muster out were three, very quiet words that seemed to rock through his whole body.

"I... I'm so sorry... " He whispered to her.

She looked into his shame filled eyes.

"N-No, its fine! Its alright, everythings alright now..." She hugged him even tighter.

After awhile with Johnnie, she looked to me.

I looked at her with a little guilt. I mean, I did go across the country and almost get myself killed without her permission.

"I... " she said slowly, "I'm so proud of you, Joan." She smiled and hugged me tightly.

"You're... Youre not mad?" I said with surprise.

"Mad?.. No." We smiled at each other as we hugged again.

I smiled and said bye to my friends as I went inside. Johnnie went straight to bed, as did I.

We were tired. That night, I had one last dream with the Man.

"_Hello again... All this time I have been rudely talking to you about things without revealing myself. My name is Axle. Or as most knew me in life, the Happy Mask Salesman. Thank you for your efforts in defeating the great beast once in for all. The mask was none other than the acursed mask from legend, Majora's Mask._

_See, long ago, in the ancient, cursed land of Termina, there was a beast called Majora. Majora was a chaotic brute that consumed all that crossed its path. But then suddenly a traveller came, and spoke to the beast. The beast was tired, and full, as it seemed to have consumed all. So the traveller pulled out a flute, and began to play a song. When Majora heard the song, it began to dance. It danced for three days straight until it finally collapsed from exaustion. Then, the traveller made the armor of the beast into a mask, which became Majora's Mask. _

_That traveller was me."_

_... Wow_, is all I thought.

The dream ended.

I'm Joan Willis, and that is the story of Majora's Mask.


End file.
